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Require a report regarding refugee resettlement services.

Refugee resettlement agencies operating in South Dakota must now submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature by October 1st, detailing what services they provided, how many refugees received help in each county, and basic information about those refugees (age, country of origin, education level, and gender). The agencies must also forecast how many refugees they expect to serve in the upcoming year.

Require that notice of a county's canvass, post-election audit, and testing of automatic tabulating equipment be posted to the secretary of state's website.

This bill requires county election officials to post notices about three election activities—the testing of voting machines, the official canvass of election results, and post-election audits—to the South Dakota Secretary of State's website so the public can easily find this information. Previously, counties only had to notify political parties and post notices locally; this change adds a statewide transparency requirement by centralizing these notices on a state website.

Provide oversight regarding the exercise of gubernatorial emergency powers.

HB1140 adds legislative oversight to the governor's emergency powers by requiring the Legislature to review and potentially limit how long the governor can suspend state agency rules during declared emergencies. The bill modifies the existing law that currently gives the governor broad authority to suspend rules during disasters or emergencies, inserting a check on that power through the legislative branch.

Require an ownership disclosure for any non-individual entity that exercises eminent domain.

When non-individual entities like corporations or groups use eminent domain to take private property, they must now file a detailed ownership disclosure along with their petition. The disclosure requires the entity to reveal its legal name, address, registered agent information, proof of legal status, and the names and addresses of all owners, members, partners, or shareholders with a stake in the company.

Make public the calendars and appointment logs of statewide public officials.

SB9 requires state officials to make their calendars and appointment logs public records, removing them from the list of information that can be kept private under current law. This change applies to certain statewide public officials and means citizens can request to see who these officials met with and when, subject to existing exemptions for sensitive information like medical records and attorney-client communications.

Shorten the time before records of a Governor or a lieutenant governor are opened to the public.

This bill reduces the time before a Governor or Lieutenant Governor's private records become public from ten years to five years after they leave office (or upon their death, whichever comes later). The change makes these records available to the public sooner, allowing greater transparency into the actions of these state officials after they've left their positions.

Require the secretary of state to publish the numbers pertaining to the collection of signatures on a nominating petition.

South Dakota's Secretary of State must now publish on its website by January 2nd of each election year the number of signatures required for nominating petitions. Registered voters can challenge these published numbers by submitting an affidavit to the Secretary of State by January 16th, with disputes resolved through the circuit court in Hughes County if needed.

Expand the access and investigatory authority of the state auditor.

South Dakota's State Auditor will gain the right to access all records, accounts, and documents from any state agency needed to conduct audits, investigate fraud or mismanagement, and check that proper financial controls exist. State agencies must now include a clause in their contracts acknowledging the auditor's access rights. These changes expand the auditor's investigatory powers beyond routine auditing to include looking into improper governmental conduct like fraud and misappropriation.

Establish protections for state employees who report improper governmental conduct and crime.

This bill creates new legal protections for state employees who report crimes, misconduct, or conflicts of interest to their supervisors or appropriate authorities. State employees who make such reports in good faith will be protected from retaliation, discrimination, or adverse employment actions by their employers. The protections apply to reports made internally within state government or to law enforcement and other proper authorities.

Require the publication and review of an explanation of the open meeting laws of this state.

This bill requires South Dakota's Attorney General to publish and periodically review an explanation of the state's open meeting laws so the public can understand their rights. The Attorney General must ensure this explanation is accessible and kept current, making it easier for citizens and public officials to comply with transparency requirements.

Repeal reporting and testifying requirements to the committees on health and human services regarding nursing facilities and long-term healthcare needs.

South Dakota will eliminate a requirement for the Department of Health and the Department of Human Services to submit annual written reports and testify before the legislature's health committees about nursing facility bed needs and long-term healthcare planning. This removes a yearly reporting deadline (before the fourth Tuesday in January) that previously kept lawmakers informed on whether the state needed additional nursing facilities.

Make reports produced by automatic tabulating equipment open to public inspection.

This bill requires election officials to make public reports from voting machines—including test results, precinct-by-precinct tallies, and configuration reports—available for anyone to inspect at no charge within 24 hours after elections, equipment tests, or post-election audits. Previously, there was no state requirement to publicly disclose these documents from automatic tabulating equipment. The new requirement increases transparency in South Dakota's election process.

Improve the transparency and openness of state government.

Prohibit non-disclosure agreements in settlement cases involving the Associated School Boards of South Dakota Protective Trust Workers Compensation Pool.

Settlement agreements made by the Associated School Boards of South Dakota Protective Trust Workers Compensation Pool can no longer include non-disclosure agreements that hide the terms or settlement amounts—those details must be discoverable in court proceedings like any other workers' compensation settlement. Any confidentiality clause that violates this rule in agreements signed after July 1, 2025, will be void and unenforceable.

Require a public hearing prior to a vote to impose an excess tax levy.

South Dakota taxing districts (like school districts and counties) must now hold a public hearing before they can vote to collect more property tax revenue than they did the previous year. The bill requires county auditors to calculate a "revenue-neutral rate" each year that shows what tax rate would produce the same revenue as last year, and any taxing district that wants to exceed that amount must first get approval from its governing body after a public hearing. This change gives taxpayers advance notice and a chance to be heard before their local government increases property tax collections.

Clarify the meaning of teleconference for purposes of open meeting requirements.

HB1059 clarifies that government bodies don't violate open meeting laws when members communicate by phone, video, or email solely to schedule or confirm attendance at future meetings. The bill updates the definition of what counts as an official "meeting" that must be open to the public, carving out an exception for these administrative coordination conversations.

Require that public entities submit to forensic accounting in cases of financial misconduct.

When the Department of Legislative Audit finds probable cause that a state agency, public institution, or other government entity has committed fraud, embezzlement, or misappropriation of public funds, that entity must undergo a forensic audit to examine all financial transactions, evaluate internal controls, and document any misconduct or irregularities. The audit can be conducted by the Department of Legislative Audit itself or by an independent forensic accounting expert, and the results must be publicly reported. The public entity being audited must pay all costs associated with the forensic investigation.

Require the reporting of the number of veterans who die by suicide in this state.

South Dakota's Department of Health will now be required to publish annual data on its website showing how many state residents who served in the U.S. armed forces or South Dakota National Guard died by suicide in the previous year. This new requirement takes effect immediately and creates a yearly reporting deadline of August 1st to track veteran suicide deaths statewide.

Require an ownership disclosure for any non-individual entity that exercises eminent domain.

When corporations, groups, or other non-individual entities use eminent domain to take private property in South Dakota, they must now publicly disclose who owns them, including the names and addresses of all members, owners, partners, or shareholders. This new requirement applies whenever such an entity files an eminent domain petition and ensures transparency about the real parties behind property seizures.

Establish mandatory reporting requirements related to improper governmental conduct and crime, and to provide a penalty therefor.

State employees with supervisory responsibilities must now report to the attorney general and state auditor if they suspect another state employee of committing a felony, engaging in fraud or misuse of office, or violating conflict-of-interest laws. Failing to make such a report is a Class 6 felony, and the attorney general must annually report to the legislature how many reports were received and what happened to each one. This creates a new mandatory reporting requirement that didn't previously exist in state law.

Require legislative approval of real property leases that are necessary for the operation of state government and exceed specified durations or rental payments.

This bill requires the South Dakota Legislature to approve any state property leases that last more than a specified time period or cost more than a set amount annually. Currently, state agencies can enter into these leases without legislative oversight, but this bill adds a new check to ensure the Legislature reviews major real property commitments before they go forward.

Revise the subpoena powers of the Government Operations and Audit Committee.

The Government Operations and Audit Committee's ability to issue subpoenas now requires approval from the Executive Board of the Legislative Research Council before the subpoena takes effect. The bill also clarifies the committee's existing powers to examine state government records, summon witnesses, and obtain documents, while establishing that the committee can use the enforcement procedures in state law if someone refuses to comply with a subpoena.

Require the disclosure of an outstanding loan balance on a campaign finance disclosure report.

Campaign finance disclosure reports in South Dakota must now include the outstanding balance of any loans held by a political committee, giving voters more complete information about a candidate's or committee's financial obligations. This change adds a new requirement to the existing disclosure rules that already require campaigns to report cash on hand, contributions, and expenditures.

Prevent a member of a governing body from assisting in the canvass of the votes for an office for which the member is a candidate.

This bill prevents members of a governing body from participating in the official canvass (counting and verification) of votes for any office they themselves are running for. The change adds a conflict-of-interest safeguard by ensuring that candidates cannot help count votes in their own elections.

Provide for the publication of the cast vote record of automatic tabulating equipment and to make an appropriation therefor.

South Dakota counties must now publish their voting machine records—called "cast vote records" and any digital ballot images—on their websites by 5 p.m. the day after each primary and general election, making these records publicly available for inspection. The state is providing $516,000 in grants to county auditors to help pay for implementing this new transparency requirement.

Require every permanent or emergency administrative rule proposal to receive the approval of an elected official before submission to the Legislative Research Council.

This bill requires state agencies to get written approval from an elected official (such as a department secretary, commissioner, or the Governor) before they can propose new permanent or emergency administrative rules to the Legislative Research Council. Currently, agencies can submit rule proposals without this elected official approval step, so this bill adds a new checkpoint in the rule-making process to give elected leaders more control over which regulations agencies can propose.

Require cost model reports for certain programs and institutions.

Starting in fiscal year 2026, state universities, technical colleges, the Department of Education, Department of Corrections, and Department of Human Services must submit cost model reports every three years showing how much it costs to operate their major programs and institutions. This is a new reporting requirement that will give the Legislature detailed financial information about the true operating costs of these public agencies and schools.

Update provisions on the interim legislative oversight of administrative rulemaking.

This bill overhauls South Dakota's system for how the Legislature reviews and oversees administrative rules created by state agencies during the time between legislative sessions. The changes update procedures for how rules are filed, reviewed, and challenged, including modifications to emergency rule processes and the legislative oversight committee's authority to examine agency rulemaking.

Amend provisions pertaining to the maintenance and publication of the statewide voter registration file.

HB1062 expands what information county auditors must keep in their voter registration files by requiring them to track the last four elections a voter participated in (instead of just the most recent one) and to record detailed information about absentee ballot requests, including when ballots were requested, returned, and what voting method was used. The bill also continues to protect sensitive personal information like Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, and dates of birth from public access while keeping the registration files otherwise open for inspection during office hours.

Revise the provisions for preparing a fiscal note for ballot questions.

This bill revises the rules for creating fiscal notes (cost estimates) that accompany ballot measures in South Dakota. It clarifies when the Legislative Research Council must prepare these notes and tightens the requirement that fiscal notes include estimates of impacts on state and local government revenues, spending, and liabilities, plus any effects on prison or jail populations. The bill also limits fiscal notes to a maximum of 50 words and repeals a related provision while updating several definitions and procedures.

Establish provisions related to the disclosure of COVID-19 vaccination status and blood donations.

Blood donation centers in South Dakota must ask donors whether they've received a COVID-19 vaccine and label blood bags from vaccinated donors with that information (without revealing the donor's identity). Patients needing non-emergency blood transfusions can request blood from unvaccinated donors, and hospitals must honor that request if such blood is available.

Clarify which opinions must be included in the annual judicial opinions report prepared by the Legislative Research Council.

This bill clarifies which court opinions the Legislative Research Council must include in its annual report to lawmakers. The change narrows the focus to only South Dakota Supreme Court and federal court opinions that either conflict with what the Legislature intended or identify areas needing legislative action, replacing the previous broader language about interpreting legislative intent.

Prohibit the enforcement and implementation of directives from intergovernmental organizations, and to provide a penalty therefor.

This bill makes it illegal for South Dakota officials and employees to enforce or follow directives from international organizations like the United Nations, World Health Organization, and World Economic Forum, or from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued after July 1, 2025. Violations would be treated as a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill essentially declares these organizations have no authority in South Dakota and prevents state and local officials from implementing their rules, regulations, policies, or mandates.

Require that a candidate for election to the board of a school district disclose the candidate's party affiliation on a declaration of candidacy.

School board candidates in South Dakota must now disclose their political party affiliation on their declaration of candidacy form, based on what their voter registration shows. This requirement applies to all candidates running for school board positions across the state.

Require legislative approval of real property leases that are necessary for the operation of state government and exceed specified durations or rental payments.

This bill requires the South Dakota Legislature to approve any real property leases that the state government needs to operate if the lease lasts longer than a certain duration or costs more than a specified annual rental amount. Currently, state agencies can enter into these leases without legislative review, but this bill adds a new approval requirement for larger or longer-term leases to give lawmakers more oversight of state spending on real estate.

Revise provisions related to the identification of minors in certain public records.

This bill protects the privacy of minors and their relatives in public court records by requiring them to be identified only by generic labels (like "minor" or "relative") followed by numbers instead of their actual names. The bill also clarifies that sensitive financial and medical information filed with courts must be submitted on separate confidential forms that are kept from public view.

Establish provisions related to the sharing of information with the national marrow donor program.

This bill requires the Department of Public Safety to give people an option to consent to sharing their personal information with the National Marrow Donor Program when they apply for or renew a driver's license or identification card. The department must then electronically send the information of people who consent (including their name, address, birth date, and phone number) to the National Marrow Donor Program monthly so they can enroll in the bone marrow donor registry. The bill also updates existing law to specifically mention the National Marrow Donor Program alongside organ donation information that the state already distributes.

Clarify when a political committee must file certain campaign finance disclosure statements.

SB 17 updates South Dakota's campaign finance definitions and reporting rules to clarify when political committees must file disclosure statements. The bill reorganizes and refines key terms like "ballot question committee" and "auxiliary organization" to better specify which groups must report their fundraising and spending activities. These changes aim to make campaign finance rules clearer and more consistent for the organizations that must follow them.

Provide a process by which a parental concern may be submitted to and resolved by a public school.

South Dakota school districts must now create a formal process allowing parents to submit concerns about school procedures or practices to the principal and receive a written explanation of how the concern was resolved. If a school doesn't resolve the concern within 30 days, it must explain why in writing, and the parent can then request a hearing before the school board to address the unresolved issue.

Amend requirements for an official newspaper.

South Dakota municipalities must designate an official newspaper for publishing legal notices, and this bill clarifies that the newspaper must meet requirements set out in state law (Chapter 17-2). The change allows municipalities to use newspapers published outside their borders if no local paper exists and the outside paper serves the community. The designation period remains at least twelve months, as determined by the municipality's governing body.

Require legislative approval for significant capital expenditures by the Department of Game, Fish and Parks.

South Dakota's Department of Game, Fish and Parks will now need to get approval from the state Legislature before spending more than $1 million on buildings, facilities, infrastructure projects, or real estate purchases. If the Legislature isn't in session and time is critical, the department can get emergency approval from a special legislative committee instead. The bill prevents the department from splitting up projects into smaller pieces to avoid this approval requirement.

Require the submission of medical, dental, and pharmaceutical claims data to the Division of Insurance and to establish a health care data system.

HB1102 eliminates several outdated insurance data reporting requirements and creates a new statewide health care data system where health insurers and dental insurers must submit claims information to the Division of Insurance. This centralized database will be used to help the government, insurers, and health care providers analyze costs, quality, access, and performance across South Dakota's health care system.

Clarify the discovery procedures and powers and to modify the administration of the Government Operations and Audit Committee.

SB 176 expands the Government Operations and Audit Committee's investigative powers by allowing it to use civil court discovery procedures—like depositions, written questions, and document requests—in addition to its existing ability to subpoena witnesses and examine records. The bill also allows the committee to delegate these investigative and discovery powers to individual committee members or other designated individuals, provided that any subpoena is first approved by the Legislative Research Council's Executive Board.

Revise provisions related to the stenographic recording of certain proceedings.

This bill updates the rules for how magistrate courts record trial proceedings by replacing references to "electrical devices" with the more modern term "electronic device" for recording. The changes apply to both magistrate courts and clerk magistrate courts, and the rest of the rules stay the same—parties can still request stenographic (written) reporting at their own cost, and appeals without a record remain de novo (starting fresh in circuit court).

Update the South Dakota Retirement System's member information protection provisions.

This bill updates confidentiality rules for South Dakota Retirement System member information by clarifying what counts as protected "member information" and narrowing when it can be shared. The new law limits disclosure to only three situations: with the member's permission, for administering the retirement system, or when ordered by a court or administrative proceeding—removing the previous allowance for automatic sharing with the member's employer. The bill also excludes anonymized data that cannot identify any particular member from confidentiality protections.

Prohibit the use of public funds for campaigning or other partisan activity, and to provide a penalty therefor.

This bill strengthens restrictions on government use of public money for political campaigns and partisan activities by state employees, officials, and candidates. It prohibits using public funds, facilities, equipment, and other resources to influence elections or political issues, and prevents political candidates and committees from accepting contributions from government agencies, tribes, or foreign governments. Violations will result in penalties under state law.

Provide that public moneys for education may not be used for lobbying purposes.

School districts in South Dakota cannot use public education funds to hire lobbyists or pay membership dues to organizations that primarily represent schools and employ lobbyists. Any school district resident or state taxpayer can sue to stop violations of this rule and recover attorney's fees if they win.

Require customer consent for installation of a smart meter for a utility service.

South Dakota utilities would be prohibited from installing smart meters in customers' homes without first obtaining written consent from the customer. The bill amends existing utility regulations to add this customer consent requirement, giving residents the ability to opt out of having these electronic meters installed on their property.

Revise the requirements for content reported on a property tax bill.

Property tax bills in South Dakota must now include specific information in at least 14-point font: a breakdown of taxes by levy, a description of each levy, the tax total for each taxing district, and the percentage change from the previous year. The bill also requires clearer labeling of any taxes resulting from local decisions to exceed state tax increase limits, marked with asterisks and explained with a specific notice to taxpayers.

Make modifications to the implementation, review, and oversight of the internal control system of the state.

SB 53 clarifies and strengthens South Dakota's internal control system by refining definitions and establishing new oversight roles, including requiring each state agency to designate an "internal control officer" to monitor and report on their internal controls. The bill updates the definition of "internal control" to focus specifically on state agencies and their objectives, and reorganizes related terms for clarity. These changes give the State Board of Internal Control better tools to ensure state agencies are properly managing finances and preventing fraud.

Revise death reporting requirements.

SB139 clarifies that funeral directors and embalmers must keep records of deaths that occurred outside South Dakota and report those records to the state health department by the fifth day of each month. The bill also requires funeral directors to notify the department if no out-of-state deaths were handled during a given month.

Require that expenditures from the department of game, fish and parks fund be budgeted through the general appropriation bill.

This bill requires that all spending from the Department of Game, Fish and Parks fund must be approved through the state's regular budget process (the general appropriation bill) rather than being spent automatically from collected revenues. The change applies across multiple funding sources used by the department, including money from habitat conservation emblems, animal damage control, and other programs. This gives the legislature more direct control over how the department spends its money instead of allowing it to spend revenues without specific annual approval.

Establish requirements that state agencies must follow when applying for federal grants.

State agencies in South Dakota must now notify the Governor, Bureau of Finance and Management, and legislative committees at least 60 days before applying for federal grants, providing detailed information about the grant's legal basis and a cost-benefit analysis. The analysis must quantify and project all direct and indirect costs and benefits to the state, grant recipients, and local governments for at least ten years after the grant ends, including any impact on state or local revenues.

Clarify the Interim Rules Review Committee's oversight of emergency rulemaking.

This bill requires the Interim Rules Review Committee to hold an emergency meeting within 72 hours to approve any new emergency rules before they can take effect, where the committee will check that the agency followed proper procedures, that the rule is actually necessary, and that emergency rulemaking isn't being misused. The bill also allows the committee to conduct these emergency meetings by teleconference and requires at least 24 hours' public notice before such meetings.

Revise and clarify notice and hearing procedures of the Public Utilities Commission.

SB211 speeds up the notification timeline for people living near proposed utility facilities by reducing the notice period from thirty days to ten days after an application is filed. The bill also clarifies that the Public Utilities Commission can deny or return applications for material misstatements, incomplete filings, or non-compliance with state law, and standardizes some language in the notification requirements to ensure applicants mail notices by certified mail and include meeting details.

Proposing and submitting to the voters at the next general election a law transfer the state accounting system from the Bureau of Finance and Management to the state auditor and amend provisions pertaining to the Bureau of Finance and Management.

This joint resolution asks South Dakota voters to approve moving control of the state's accounting system from the Bureau of Finance and Management to the State Auditor. The change would make the State Auditor responsible for tracking all state money received and spent across agencies, though the Bureau of Management and Budget would still request financial information as needed. If voters approve it, this restructures how the state records and reports its finances.

Require the Department of Revenue provide an annual report to tribal governments regarding certain tax collections.

South Dakota's Department of Revenue must now send annual reports to tribal governments showing how much tax was collected in their areas, with separate figures for remote and in-state sellers. Tribes with existing tax collection agreements get reports of actual collections, while tribes without such agreements get estimates based on their population share in specific counties. The department must also provide historical reports covering 2019-2024 by December 1, 2025.

Update the South Dakota Retirement System member identity verification procedures.

This bill updates the rules for proving your identity when applying to the South Dakota Retirement System for membership, refunds, or benefits. It now requires applicants to submit a copy of a current government-issued photo ID (like a driver's license) or tribal ID card with their application. The change simplifies the existing process by clarifying the specific identification documents that are acceptable.

Designate contact information provided on a voter registration form as not for public inspection.

HB 1073 allows voters to keep their phone numbers and email addresses private by designating them as not available for public inspection on voter registration forms, similar to existing protections for Social Security numbers and driver's license numbers. The bill clarifies that county auditors must safeguard this optional contact information and restricts its use to election purposes only.

Modify the individuals eligible to sign an affidavit of homelessness for purposes of obtaining a free copy of a birth certificate.

This bill expands who can sign an affidavit to verify someone's homelessness when applying for a free birth certificate, adding law enforcement officers designated as homeless liaisons to the list of acceptable signers alongside government agencies, nonprofits, and social service providers. The bill also makes minor language updates by changing "person" to "individual" throughout the statute for consistency. These changes make it easier for homeless individuals to obtain birth certificates by giving them more options for finding someone qualified to verify their housing status.

Authorize the recall of county commissioners.

This bill creates a new process allowing voters to recall county commissioners from office for reasons such as misconduct, corruption, incompetence, or crimes. To trigger a recall election, voters must gather signatures from either 15% of registered voters in the commissioner's district (or 5% of countywide voters if the commissioner represents the whole county) within a 60-day period, and must specify the grounds for removal on the petition. This new authority gives South Dakota voters a mechanism to remove county commissioners before their term ends, something that was not previously available.

Amend provisions pertaining to the maintenance and publication of the statewide voter registration file.

This bill requires South Dakota's voter registration system to be hosted and maintained entirely by the state using in-house servers and state employees, rather than allowing outside contractors or vendors to handle the data. The bill also speeds up how often counties must send voter registration updates to the Secretary of State—changing from twice-yearly reports to updates sent within seven days after each election. These changes aim to keep voter registration data more secure and current under direct state control.

Address issues facing South Dakota.

HB 1150 is a placeholder bill with no substantive legal changes—it simply states that the Legislature intends to address unspecified issues facing South Dakota. The bill contains no actual amendments to existing law, no new regulations, and no defined policies or actions.

Revise the process for nominating candidates for lieutenant governor.

This bill changes how lieutenant governor candidates are chosen in South Dakota. Instead of delegates voting to nominate a lieutenant governor at the state party convention, the gubernatorial candidate will now directly nominate their own running mate by submitting a certification to the secretary of state by a deadline in August. The nominated lieutenant governor candidate can withdraw, in which case the governor candidate must submit a replacement nominee by the same deadline.

Revise provisions on interim transfers and appropriations.

This bill updates the definitions used in South Dakota's budget and appropriations process to clarify what counts as an "agency" and refine the term "general contingency funds" to apply across all agencies rather than just individual departments or institutions. The changes modernize the language in the state's budget management rules to make the appropriations process clearer and more consistent.

Modify and repeal provisions related to the Legislative Research Council.

HB1216 updates South Dakota's rules for how the Legislative Research Council operates and which committees can introduce bills in the legislature. The bill makes technical changes to clarify that certain interim committees (like the Rules Review Committee and Government Operations and Audit Committee) can introduce bills by majority vote, and it removes two outdated sections of law related to the council's operations.

Establish protections for a veteran seeking assistance in a veterans' benefit matter.

HB1238 requires anyone who helps veterans apply for federal or state veterans benefits to provide a written agreement upfront that clearly states what services they'll provide and how much they'll charge. The agreement must also disclose that the service provider is not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the provider must keep a copy of the signed agreement for at least one year after services end.

Proposing and submitting to the voters at the next general election amendments to the Constitution of the State of South Dakota, requiring an intervening general election before consideration of an initiated constitutional amendment or initiated measure having the same subject as a previously rejected initiated amendment or measure.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment that would require voters to reject an initiative or constitutional amendment twice before it can be brought back—an intervening general election must occur between the first rejection and any new attempt with the same subject matter. Currently, South Dakota allows citizens to submit the same initiative again immediately after it fails, but this change would prevent that by creating a waiting period of at least two years.

Modify the authority of the Board of Internal Control.

SB61 gives the Board of Internal Control new authority to require state agencies to conduct risk reviews and establish procedures for those reviews as part of their internal control systems. The bill also clarifies the Board's power to create guidelines and standards that agencies must follow, and requires each agency to designate an internal control officer responsible for implementing these requirements. These changes strengthen the Board's oversight role in managing how state government handles financial and operational risks.

Require an indication of United States citizenship status on a motor vehicle operator's license or permit, and on a nondriver identification card.

South Dakota driver's licenses and nondriver ID cards must now include a visible indication of whether the holder is a U.S. citizen. This new requirement adds citizenship status as one of several pieces of information displayed on the card, similar to existing indicators for organ donors or veterans.

Revise the requirements for a petition to initiate a measure or constitutional amendment or to refer a law.

SB91 makes technical changes to how citizens submit petitions to put constitutional amendments and laws on the ballot in South Dakota. The bill revises filing requirements to clarify that petitions must be submitted in both physical and electronic formats to the secretary of state, and it specifies that certain documents like the amendment text, attorney general's explanation, and fiscal notes must accompany the petition filing. The bill also updates procedural rules around petition circulators providing information to people who sign petitions.

Revise provisions on interim transfers and appropriations.

SB 146 updates South Dakota's budget law by revising definitions of key budgeting terms, particularly clarifying that "general contingency funds" apply to all state agencies rather than just departments and institutions. The bill reorganizes how these budget-related terms are numbered and defined in state law to improve clarity and consistency in how the state manages interim fund transfers and appropriations during the budget process.

Applying to the United States Congress for a convention of the states to propose amendments to the United States Constitution regarding the imposition of fiscal restraints on the federal government, further limiting the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limiting the terms of office for members of Congress and other federal officials.

South Dakota is formally asking Congress to call a constitutional convention where states could propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution—specifically to limit federal spending, reduce federal power, and impose term limits on Congress members and other federal officials. This resolution does not change South Dakota law itself, but rather instructs the state to petition the federal government under Article V of the U.S. Constitution for this convention to occur.

Modify the persons eligible to sign an affidavit for proof of homelessness for purposes of waiving the fee for a nondriver identification card.

This bill expands who can verify that someone is homeless when applying for a free nondriver identification card in South Dakota. Instead of requiring verification only from homeless services providers, the law now also allows school district homeless liaisons, certified school counselors, licensed school nurses, and licensed social workers to sign the affidavit confirming someone's homeless status.

Affirming the state's rejection of carbon dioxide pipelines and urging President Donald Trump to avoid interfering with the Summit Carbon Solutions carbon dioxide pipeline through exercise of federal eminent domain powers.

This is a concurrent resolution expressing South Dakota's opposition to carbon dioxide pipelines and requesting that President Trump not use federal eminent domain authority to force the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline project through the state. The resolution affirms that South Dakota voters rejected the pipeline in a 2024 ballot measure and notes that the state legislature already passed a law prohibiting eminent domain seizures for carbon dioxide pipelines. This resolution does not change existing law but serves as an official statement of the state's position on the issue.

Encouraging the Executive Board of the Legislative Research Council to establish an interim legislative committee on preserving and protecting the Black Hills of South Dakota.

This resolution asks the Legislative Research Council's leadership to create a temporary committee to study development in the Black Hills, including residential construction, mining, and government economic projects. The committee would evaluate current regulations and recommend new rules to better protect the Black Hills' natural beauty, history, and environmental health for future generations.

Amend provisions pertaining to the duties of presidential electors.

South Dakota's presidential electors will now be required by law to vote for whichever presidential and vice-presidential candidates received the most votes in the state's general election. This new rule ensures that electors cannot vote for a different candidate than the one South Dakota voters chose, eliminating the possibility of so-called "faithless electors" going against the state's popular vote.

Proposing and submitting to the voters at the next general election an amendment to the Constitution of the State of South Dakota, establishing the trust for unclaimed property fund.

South Dakota voters would be asked to approve a new constitutional fund for unclaimed property—money that businesses or organizations hold but can't locate the rightful owners. The fund would keep unclaimed property deposits separate in a trust that grows over time, with only the interest and income (starting in 2027) flowing into the general state budget, while the main balance stays protected unless needed to pay claims or return property to owners.

Authorize display of certain flags on public property.

South Dakota public property can only display specific flags: the U.S. flag, state flag, military flags, flags of counties and municipalities, flags of other U.S. states, flags of foreign nations at peace with the U.S., and Native American tribal flags. Flags representing political viewpoints—including those related to gender, political ideology, race, or sexual orientation—are banned from public property, though the Governor can approve temporary ceremonial displays and state boards can authorize educational displays.

Proposing and submitting to the voters at the next general election an amendment to the Constitution of the State of South Dakota, conditioning the requirement of expanded Medicaid on the level of federal medical assistance.

This constitutional amendment would make South Dakota's expanded Medicaid coverage automatic only while the federal government pays at least 90% of the costs; once federal funding drops below that threshold, the state would no longer be required to cover adults earning up to 133% of the federal poverty level. Currently, South Dakota's constitution requires this expanded Medicaid coverage indefinitely, but this change would tie it to federal funding levels. Voters would decide whether to approve this amendment in the next general election.

Applying to the United States Congress under Article V of the United States Constitution to call for a convention for proposing an amendment to the constitution establishing congressional term limits.

South Dakota is formally asking Congress to call a constitutional convention under Article V for the purpose of proposing a federal amendment that would limit how many terms members of Congress can serve. This resolution doesn't change South Dakota state law itself, but rather expresses the state's official position that term limits for U.S. senators and representatives should be considered as a constitutional amendment.

Establish an electronic system for vehicle titles.

South Dakota will create an electronic system for vehicle titles to replace the paper-based system currently used by the Department of Revenue. The bill updates various sections of state law governing vehicle registration, manufactured homes, and mobile homes to accommodate this digital titling system. This change streamlines how vehicle ownership is recorded and transferred while maintaining the same legal protections and requirements that currently exist.

Improve the operations and effectiveness of South Dakota.

Waive the driver license renewal period for members of the military and their families, and employees of the state department.

This bill allows active-duty military members, their families, and state Department of Defense employees to renew their driver's licenses outside the normal 180-day renewal window. The change makes it easier for these groups to maintain valid licenses despite military deployments or other service-related scheduling challenges.

Provide hearing aids to children and make an appropriation therefor.

South Dakota will increase annual funding from $200,000 to $500,000 per year to help children under age 21 get cochlear implants and hearing aids through the Department of Human Services. The money can pay for these devices for uninsured children or cover the deductibles and coinsurance costs that insurance doesn't pay for insured children.